Adventures in rainy Riyadh!

Bismillah,

It started raining in Riyadh on Wednesday. At first it was light, but then yesterday it started pouring and slowly the streets started filling up. The road outside our building turned into a river of fast moving water, and I watched in fascination as it thundered and poured all afternoon and evening. People from the surrounding buildings were all standing outside, watching the rain come down and roads that were slowly turning into deep lakes and rivers. My husband's friend had come over for lunch after Juma, and he stayed with us until Ishaa. Around 9pm, we decided to drop him home and we drove to his building, which is only a 5 min drive from our place. That drive slowly turned into a moving disaster. Getting to his place wasn't too much of a hassle, as the main highway was clear. After dropping him off, we drove back in the direction of our building, unfortunately we couldn't take the highway back, so we decided to go through the side streets. It got much worse as we tried to navigate through the water-filled roads that were about 1 and 1/2 feet deep in certain places, and yes, we have a sedan so we weren't happy campers at all!

The worst happened when we tried to drive by a construction site, and due to the high water level, we didn't know what the road underneath looked like. All of a sudden, we heard a horrible grinding noise, and the front-left side of the car sunk into the water, at a freakishly steep angle; we were properly stuck... We then noticed smoke rising from our hood, so my husband turned off the engine, switched on the hazard lights, and tried to figure out what to do. We had apparently driven into an unmarked ditch of some sort. We tried opening our doors and exiting the car, but the water was too deep, so we couldn't go anywhere. My husband started calling various co-workers and family, but strangely enough, no one was answering their phone. After about 20 minutes of sitting and trying to figure things out, a car passed by and slowed to take a look. The car had about 5 young Saudi youth who were in their early 20's, dressed in traditional white thobes and shemaghs. They spoke to my husband in Arabic and he explained that he was stuck in a ditch and the car wasn't moving. They immediately pulled over on higher ground, got out of their car and took off their sandals, pulled up their thobes and held it in their teeth, rolled up their underpants and started wading into the muddy, dirty water towards us! At this point I was feeling a mixture of embarrassment and relief.

My husband remarked to me in the car, "these guys are too skinny, they won't be able to pull the car out, we need a tow truck." In any case, they instructed him to put the car in reverse and they tried pulling from the back, lifting and pushing from the front, and a variety of other tactics that included all five of them, at one point, climbing into the trunk of the car and jumping in it...
Luckily, their presence was extremely beneficial, as an SUV happened to drive by with towing capabilities and a tow rope, and they were able to stop him and ask him for his services. He pulled us out of the ditch and didn't even wait for our thank you, just drove away as if it were a normal turn of events!
And when we tried to thank the Saudi guys, they were too busy wading in the water and trying to cover up the ditch in order to prevent others from suffering the same fate!
We did manage yell out a thank you, which they promptly waved off and quickly returned to the water to finish off their job.

We reversed out of the lane and drove back onto the main road, in an attempt to return home with minimal problems. Just when we thought we were in the clear, we noticed that the only road that leads to our building, was now full of water, almost about 2 feet deep and that all the traffic that was attempting to drive down the road had two wheels on the sidewalk, and two wheels in the water. It is also important to mention that all of the traffic were either SUVS, pickups or passenger vans.
My husband maneuvered the car towards the side of the road, right next to the sidewalk, where the water level was the lowest, and we slowly tried driving through the water. We passed a few cars that had gotten stuck and had turned off in the water, and we slowly reached the end of the road.
Thankfully we made it home without any problems and our car was alright, but it was an extremely close call. I keep on wondering what would've happened if it wasn't for the Saudi youth that were so eager and quick in their desire to help us, regardless of their own circumstances. Alhamdulilah, I'm really grateful to them for their help and it is really comforting to know that there are people like them in this country.

Apart from our latest mis-adventure, things are really starting to settle down and are looking good in Riyadh. I do have other interesting topics to discuss soon, and I am hunting down a good tailor these days, so that I can start answering lots of those abaya requests that are waiting for me!
That's it for now
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I'M BAAACK!!!!!!!
Bismillah,
I'm up and blogging again from Riyadh, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia!

The past two months have been super hectic and completely crazy, but now that the dust has settled (literally and figuratively speaking), I've finally got hi speed Internet at home, and I'm really excited to be back in the blogger world.

Important achievements:

- I survived the wedding and all the post-wedding parties without too much trouble!
- I managed to haul all my belongings across the globe without any loss or damage!
- I have set up my place and it looks mash'allah very nice!
- I am thoroughly enjoying married life!


Alhamdulillah for the many blessings of Allah (swt) on myself and my family, if it wasn't by His decree, none of this would have been possible.

I am contemplating posting pictures of my new home, but I am not quite comfortable with the idea yet, maybe later inshallah.


About Riyadh:

I landed in Riyadh on a Friday afternoon, after the Juma Salah, so it was quite peaceful in the city at the time. Our home is close to the airport and it was only a 15 min drive to our place, which was of course completely empty and covered in dust when we entered, due to the prevalence of sand storms in Riyadh, and the fact that its a ground floor apartment, and has huge gaps under the doors, perfect for dust and lil creepy crawly creatures.

The following week, we started driving around the city and ordering our furniture and other necessities. I guess the first thing that hit me was the "no women driving" policy that i found absolutely absurd in the beginning. The second thing that hit me was the vastness of the city. I'm from Muscat, Oman... which by comparison, is just a lil town. Riyadh is a huge sprawling city, similar to Toronto in size and population. After maghrib, the city comes alive with people, lights and lots of traffic. There's a perpetual rush-hour situation on the roads in certain areas of the city, and compared to Oman, everything in Riyadh is "super-sized".

There were times when my husband would have to close my jaw coz it was hanging open at the size of the buildings, malls and grocery stores.

Another thing that i appreciate about Riyadh is that everything closes for Salah, which is fantastic coz it forces you to go to the masjid and pray, even if that wasn't the first thing on your agenda at the time.

I've prayed in many different masajid in the city, from the biggest masjid in Riyadh, to the smallest neighbourhood ones. I've found that the Imams in Riyadh have a very beautiful and passionate recitation style that moves me in a way I've never really experienced. There is a beauty and rhythm in their voice that hits my soul and there are times I've experienced such an imaan high, I've felt like I could just stand and listen to the recitation all night long. During such times, there's a peace and tranquility that descends upon the members of the congregation; it's a very beautiful and spiritual experience. My husband and I make a point of praying at least 1 salah in the masjid everyday, mainly the Isha salah, and I guess I owe it to him coz he knows where all the good reciters are, so we always end up in their masaajids.

Another aspect of Riyadh that I have experienced and loved, is the quantity and variety of their restaurants. Since I'm not the world's best cook, and also since my husband doesn't want to burden me with the prospect of cooking on weekends and when I'm tired, we've been dining out quite a lot! There are some really nice and classy places on Tahliya Street, which is like Riyadh's version of downtown Toronto. The food has always been scrumptious and the waiters are well mannered and very respectful towards women.

I have lots more to say but I'm gonna save it for another post soon. Topics that I'll be discussing are: my views on gender segregation in restaurants and food courts in malls, as well as dress codes in the city, and the answer to the question people have been asking me quite often, "so how is married life treating you?"

All that and more, insha'allah soon.

I'm putting up some pics of Riyadh, not taken by me. I will be uploading my pics of Riyadh, inshaallah soon.
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A Quick Update!
As Salaamu Alaykum one and all!
I'm re-surfacing for a short post about my current situation, and since this is the first time I'm able to check my mail since I left, I thought I'd let everyone know how I'm doing!

First of all, I'd like to thank EVERYONE who commented on my last post, I can't reply to everyone personally, so I'm hoping u guys get this message: Thank you for your kind words and duas, may Allah (swt) accept it from you and grant you all Jannah. Ameen!

Ok, so about me:
Well, I'm currently in a 3rd world South Asian country. I go through 8 hours of no electricity per day because the government shuts down the power since they can't afford electricity 24/7. Because of this, I'm forced to survive by candle light after maghrib and I don't have running water in my taps most of the time, since we need electricity to pump water around the house. Hence, I'm fairly miserable! We also had a major water crisis a couple of days ago, due to an internal piping problem which caused SEWAGE water to flow through our taps in the washrooms and kitchens. For 2 days we suffered with dirty stinky water, and then, in order to fix it, we had our water lines shut off for 2 days and we were living out of buckets. Subhanallah!

My younger sister accidentally ingested some of this sewage water whilst brushing her teeth one morning, and because of that, she suffered from a severe form of amoebic dysentery. We had to rush her to the hospital and she spent the night in E.R with all sorts of IVs attached to her. Now, in 6 days, I'm supposed to b getting married... And all i wanna do is run away screaming...

Subhanallah.

I'm only human, so I complain about my situation, but when I stop to ponder about everything, I do find myself to be extremely grateful and thankful for one thing: I'm not forced to live here against my will, unlike so many of my extended family members.

It is such a humbling experience, to go from a comfortable and luxurious life in the GCC, from a free, safe and open environment in Canada, to a country like this, where even the basics fundamentals of life are not available readily. It is such a struggle to go through a day here, with all the dirt and lack of water, electricity and hence clean clothes and a clean home. A hot water shower is a luxury that I only get once in a while. I realise that I take so much for granted and have such high expectations from life, and then i feel so grateful that its not worse than it is. Alhamdulillah!

The crime rate in this country is incredibly high. When I leave my house, I can't expose my cell phone to the general public in case someone sees it and wants it... all they do is point a gun in ur face and demand u hand it over. I don't wear nice shoes, nice clothes, or any kind of hand jewelry. If i wear rings, i have to twist my rings around so the nice part is in my palm. When i go shopping, I only take a terrible hand bag and i don't show how much cash is in my wallet. I also can't speak in English too loudly coz if people pick up my accent, they will over-charge me by a mile, so i speak my native language which i'm terrible at... or i end up keeping my mouth shut.

And did i mention that this is a "Muslim" country? Its a sad situation here, very little deen and if there is deen, it's looked down upon and ridiculed or it's an extreme form of something that I don't know how to explain. Its also full of cultural bid'ah customs that make it very impure.

Alhamdulillah I've been able to keep myself from getting ill so far, and Insha'allah it will be over soon, but I feel extremely sorry for everyone here; all the beggars and all those who struggle to raise families and live in a country such as this. I always wonder about what I've done to deserve a life like mine, and not like theirs, which could've been possible.

I wish i had time to type some more but I have to go now. I'll be back up and running when I arrive in Riyadh Insha'allah and I will Insha'allah, update everyone when it's all over :)
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I'm Leaving!

Bismillah,

Insha'allah, in about 10 mins, I'm gonna be heading out the door to catch a plane and will be travelling to a mystery location (u hate my secretive behaviour) for my walima, and then arriving in Riyadh by the end of this month.

Hopefully, I'll be able to blog from my secret location, otherwise you'll see me back online and blogging frantically, from my new home in KSA.

I haven't forgotten my sisters who want abayas and Inshallah will be working on that as soon as I get time.

I leave you with a dua from the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet sallalaahu alayhi wasallam:
O Allah! I ask You on this, our journey, for goodness and piety, and for deeds that are acceptable to You. O Allah! Lighten this journey for us and make its distance easy (short) for us.
O Allah! You are our Companion on the road and The Guardian-Protector of the household. O Allah! I seek refuge in You from this journey's hardships, and from the disagreeable sights in store and from finding my family and property and children in misfortune upon returning.

Till we meet again...
As-Salaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu
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The Prisoner and The Guard

They came from opposite sides of the wire - one a prisoner, the other a guard in the notorious Guantanamo Bay detention camp. But today Moazzam Begg and Christopher Arendt have met as friends. It's a remarkable symbol of unity in the week when President Obama signed the order to close the camp that shamed the US.

The ex-inmate and the ex-soldier are now on a lecture tour, continuing in Leeds tomorrow and going to Hull, York, Newcastle, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Belfast before ending in Cardiff. Moazzam, 40, from Birmingham, was held as a terror suspect for three years, before being freed without charge in 2005. Christopher, 24, served with the Michigan National Guard, on a year's tour of duty at Guantanamo. He now works with lobby groups in the US.
Today, they tell their stories to Dennis Ellam, from The Sunday Mirror.



THE INMATE :


I was kept in solitary for the first two years. I saw no one, spoke to no one, except my guard. We were locked into these tiny cages, steel with mesh sides and bright lights. All I had in there was a sheet and a roll of toilet paper. I would be shackled, sometimes so tightly I couldn't feel my hands or feet. When I asked for something I could use as a prayer mat, they brought a thin camping mat and that became my mattress for the next two years.The only time I was allowed out of my cell was to be interrogated. It was often in the middle of the night and I never knew if it would last for five minutes or 24 hours or longer, with interrogators banging on the desk to keep me awake. They would ask plainly stupid questions, like: "When did you last see Osama bin Laden?" And they told me: "You'll be imprisoned for life, or you could face execution, or both - execution after a very long time."Everything was designed to dehumanise. To keep myself sane, I read and re-read and memorised the Koran. I wrote poetry with the two-inch stub of a pencil they gave me. I cracked up a couple of times and smashed my cell - but only twice in three years. Every day used to begin the same way, before dawn. After two years of solitary, I had to file out of my cell with the others in our orange boiler suits and flip-flops and line up for prayer. Then we prayed, shook hands and went back to the endless routine... breakfast of bread and cheese, lunch of cereal, crisps, raisins, peanuts and a typical evening meal of white rice and beans, with fruit. In between there would be set periods to shower, exercise, meet with doctors and lawyers, and write mail - under supervision. But every day was the same... hopeless and pointless.


I have nightmares about the physical abuse I suffered at Bagram air base in Afghanistan, where I was first kept. This is important - because while President Obama is closing Guantanamo, the "ghost" prisons around the world, like Bagram, are staying open.


Meeting Christopher was a very special moment for us both. It was emotional, sure, it couldn't be anything else, but we were just proud to share this chance to get together. He began saying how sorry he was for everything that had been done to me and the rest of the prisoners - I interrupted him. I told him it wasn't necessary to apologise. I met many good men among the guards at Guantanamo, who had begun to question what they were doing. It helped to pass the days, chatting with them about family and politics, and the difference between the UK and the US. Christopher's a great friend now. There is no lingering hostility, or regret, there's no reason for forgiveness. I understand why he did what he did. In a way, he was as much a victim of the Bush regime as I was. It's fitting we should be together this week as the new President Obama has taken a very big step towards righting the wrong of Guantanamo. On his first day, when he just suspended the military tribunals, I worried he wasn't about to go all the way. Then he announced its closure, and I was overjoyed.The only disappointment is that it might take a year before it's finally gone - a year will be a long, long time to all those men who have already spent seven or eight years caged in there.

Guantanamo will haunt me for a long time. I still wake at night and see it. I lost three years with my children when they were growing, which I can never recover. It's taking a long time to readjust.One reason why Christopher and I can be such good friends is that he's one of the few who knows what it was really like. He saw it too, albeit from the other side.




THE GUARD:

I came to see Moazzam to make my apologies. And to meet the man as a fellow human being, without bars or locked doors or people looking over us or bureaucratic forms, without one of us in an orange boiler suit and the other in a soldier's green fatigues.

All the time I was in Guantanamo, I watched people being treated just as if they were cattle. To de-humanise, that was the principle behind it. I didn't know Moazzam in there, but I guess I might have delivered the essential supplies to him - toothpaste, toilet rolls, soap. That was my job, after I made it plain in a letter to my commanders that I didn't want to be posted there because I didn't see myself in the role of oppressor. They sent me anyway, and just gave me the menial work, walking up and down the blocks. You might wonder why I signed up in the first place. You have to realise that recruitment teams would tour the trailer parks and the working-class schools of America, telling young folk that the Army offered a good salary, a secure living, a chance to extend your education, plus an 8,000 dollar signing-on bonus.

I was 17 and keen to escape a small-town background. It seemed like a very tempting prospect. Of course, most Americans at the start had no idea what Guantanamo Bay was, or even where it was - we were simply told that this is the place where we would be shoving the terrorists, after 9/11. I remember that event very well indeed and faces of the men being blamed. That planted it in the American mind. Men of Middle Eastern appearance were guilty as hell.

I told myself the CIA guys were smart, that the interrogators were specialists in their jobs, and so they must have information on the prisoners they were holding, for them to be inside. Now I know they had no idea what they were doing. As I talked to the prisoners, I came to realise they had one thing in common, they didn't know why they were there. I was helping to guard 650 men and none of them had been told why they were being held in those blocks. Worse, I could see them losing their minds. That state would come closer and closer, for all of them.

Once I was manning a gate, next to the psycho ward, where all the detainees who had finally lost it were being kept. All night long I could hear this guy screaming and screaming and screaming. And I can hear him still. He had been brought there with his mind intact. Now he was incarcerated without hope, his family were an ocean away and he hadn't seen them for years. He didn't know why this was happening or how long it would last. And the crazy thing is, Guantanamo Bay is actually a beautiful place. First thing in the morning, when the sun was coming up over the ocean and the detainees were at prayer, singing together in Arabic, it was a very intense, very moving experience. Later in the day, you just knew, someone might be beating the s*** out of them.
It seemed all the more terrible to be wearing that uniform, with the stars and stripes on the shoulder, the flag of freedom. All we were defending was the freedom of politicians, to advance their careers while we did their dirty work. It's hard for anyone to understand what happened in Guantanamo.

But Moazzam and I, we know...


Taken from The Sunday Mirror : www.sundaymirror.co.uk
Article written by Dennis Ellam
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